1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vented containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to containers that are designed with a venting means therein to allow air to enter thereinto for smoother and more controlled pouring of the liquid contents from the spout thereof.
Pouring liquid from a container that lacks a secondary venting hole can result in an erratic, messy pour because as liquid is emptied from the container, a vacuum is created. This vacuum creates a low-pressure environment that sucks air into the container to fill the void through the only available route: the spout of the container through which the liquid is currently being poured. The in-rushing air drawn through the same aperture from which the liquid is being poured creates a sporadic, interrupted flow as the force of the air being drawn in and the force of the liquid being poured out counteract each other. As a result, the air does not enter the container in a steady manner, but instead is intermittently sucked into the container, which creates pulsation in the liquid flowing from the container. As more and more pulses are created in the outflowing liquid, the liquid flow out of the container becomes increasingly more sporadic and less controlled. This sporadic flow of liquid out of enclosed containers is frustrating because it can lead to spillage if one is not careful enough.
Present devices attempt to address the issue with sporadic liquid flow out of containers by providing either a venting cap or a venting channel extending through the spout of the container. A single venting channel improves the pouring performance of the liquid containers, but it is still not an ideal container. Such venting channels are generally small and narrow, limiting the amount of air that can flow therethrough. The limited airflow through the venting channel results in the need for air to be sucked through the portion of the spout from which liquid exits the container, failing to solve the problem that the venting channels seek to solve.
The present invention provides a liquid container in a variety of configurations and types that has dual venting channels that both increase the rate of airflow into the internal volume of the container and deliver air to different areas within the container, ensuring that a vacuum will not form and create uneven flow in the liquid exiting the container. The increased airflow rate also increases the liquid pouring rate because more air entering the container allows more liquid to leave therefrom. The dual venting channels prevent chaotic liquid flow because they deliver inflowing air to different locations within the container, ensuring that the container is filled with air in a smooth manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to ventilating containers and spouts. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to containers that have a single venting tube through the spout. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,587 to Stearns, which discloses a retractable vented pouring spout attachment for mounting within the neck of a fluid container. The retractable spout has a vented breather passage formed within the spout that runs along the interior wall of the spout and across the top wall of the container. This vented breather passage allows air to enter the upper regions of the container without interfering the flow of the liquid through the spout. The present invention comprises a pair of venting tubes, rather than a single venting tube as with Stearns, to ensure that there is a steady supply for air flowing to vacate regions of the container while the user is pouring liquid therefrom.
Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,419 to Pierce, which discloses a metal pour dispenser for bottles that has an air tube extending into the internal volume of the attached bottle. As with Stearns, the Pierce device comprises only a single venting tube, whereas the present invention comprises a pair of venting tubes extending to different areas of the internal volume of the container. Furthermore, the present invention comprises an integral container and spout construction wherein the vent tubes are molded into the walls of the container and do not merely drop into the internal volume of the container from the spout.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,417 to Schiemann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,111 to Hestehave, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,358 to Crosby all disclose a spout for venting fuel containers that has a single venting tube that is attached to the spout and runs into the internal volume of the container. The present invention comprises a container and spout construction that has a pair of venting tubes, one of which that extends to an upper rear portion of the container and another that extends to a lower rear portion of the container. This dual venting tube construction ensures a steady flow of air to areas of the container that are vacated as an increasing amount of liquid is poured from the container. A single venting tube may not adequately supply air to the internal volume of the container to ensure steady flow from the spout.
The present invention comprises a new and novel container and spout construction that utilizes a pair of venting tubes, as opposed to traditional designs that utilize a single venting tube, for ensuring proper flow of air into a pouring liquid container. The internal end of the second venting tube is exposed as liquid levels decrease due to liquid being poured out of the container, thereby providing a direct path for air to reach newly exposed regions of the container. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing vented liquid container devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.